Monday 12 April 2010 06.10 EDT
First published on Monday 12 April 2010 06.10 EDT

Kevin-Prince Boateng admits he will never tire of watching replays of the penalty he scored to book Portsmouth's place in the FA Cup final at the expense of his former team Tottenham.

Pompey's long-suffering fans were finally given something to cheer about yesterday when their side emerged 2-0 winners from an open game which went into extra-time at Wembley.

Portsmouth, relegated from the Premier League on Saturday, went ahead through Frédéric Piquionne before Boateng beat Heurelho Gomes from the spot to seal Pompey's second FA Cup final appearance in three seasons.

Boateng, who started just 10 games in a two-year spell at Spurs, admits he will relish watching the moment he held his nerve to stroke the ball past Gomes for years to come. "It was the most important goal of my career," the midfielder said. "I have a lot of friends who will have recorded the match so I will watch it tonight and then again tomorrow, I'll never get bored of watching it go in.

"There were so many emotions that came up when I went to take that penalty that it was unbelievable. I didn't have much luck when I was at Tottenham so that also made it a little bit more special. It was the second-best feeling of my life after my son being born. It was the perfect day for me."

Portsmouth's win, which came against the club's old manager Harry Redknapp, set up a final date with the Premier League leaders, Chelsea, next month.

Last month Carlo Ancelotti's men tore Portsmouth apart 5-0 at Fratton Park but Boateng insists his side can still pull off a shock when the two sides meet at Wembley on 15 May.

"I can promise you that we won't be beaten 5-0 again," said the 23-year-old. "We won't be the same team when we go out there. It's a big game, we'll stick together and focus and they won't beat us 5-0. It'll be a full house again and if we have the supporters behind us again like they were today in the final then it'll be 50/50. It's a cup final and we can win it."

Boateng had been sidelined with an ankle injury since early February and he saluted his manager, Avram Grant, for providing him with the inspiration to get through the 120 minutes of play after more than two months out of action.

"I have no idea how I managed to get through today," Boateng admitted. "I think I just had the confidence in my head because the gaffer was behind me. He told me I could do it.

"He asked me if I was OK after 90 minutes and I said I was, so he replied: 'OK, now I want to see you do more.' That's what he's like. He always wants to see more and that's what made me believe I could make it."